


ribs

by dracoommalfoy



Series: song fics [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Based on a song, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25563088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoommalfoy/pseuds/dracoommalfoy
Summary: you're the only friend i need,sharing beds like little kidsand laughing til our ribs get tough,but that will never be enough.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: song fics [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852027
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	ribs

**Author's Note:**

> dedicated to luna :)

**September 1st, 1991**

"So it's true, then? What they're saying on the train? Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Harry turned away from Ron and his eyes landed on the pale blond boy from Diagon Alley. He wore a small grin that made Harry more curious about him. He'd seemed cold at the store in Diagon Alley, but here he seemed like any other kid in this crowd.

The boy nodded to the two larger boys next to him. "This is Crabbe and Goyle," he took a step forward so he was in front of Harry, on the step above him. "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Harry thought that that name was pretty cool until Ron laughed and Draco glared at him. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe! You must be a Weasley."

Ron's face fell and Harry frowned, looking back at Draco Malfoy, who looked back at Harry.

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there," Draco held out his hand to Harry.

Looking at Ron, Harry frowned. He didn't want to upset Ron by shaking Draco's hand, but he didn't want to upset Draco by not. Who says he can't be friends with both? Harry looked back to Draco and reached out, shaking his hand.

Harry would remember the look of delight on Draco's face forever.

"Hmm, difficult, very difficult." Harry jumped as a voice came from the hat when it was placed over his head.

"What?" Harry asked in a small voice.

"Plenty of courage, I see," the hat continued, "Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"

Harry thought about it. He'd only heard bad about the Slytherin house, but he didn't think it was fair to judge any of them, especially since he had no clue what they were twenty-four hours earlier. "Any house, I guess. Whatever's best," he said.

"Whatever's best... better be... SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled, and Professor McGonagall pulled it off Harry's head.

He saw Ron's upset look but then turned to his new table and saw Draco smiling and clapping loudly. Harry let himself grin and hurry off to the Slytherin table, sitting next to Draco, who practically beamed at him.

**November 12th, 1992**

The playful grin that had been on Draco's face had fallen the second Harry stepped towards the snake. They had been chosen to be paired for Lockhart's dueling club, and were having fun, until Draco shot out the snake. Snape had stepped forward to get rid of it, but it was too late.

Harry opened his mouth and some hissing noise came from it, getting not only the snake's, but everyone else's attention. Draco's eyes widened when he recognized the sounds as Parseltongue. Well, if they didn't think he was the Heir of Slytherin before, they definitely would. Draco grabbed his friend's hand and pulled him from the room.

"Draco," Harry said quietly as they walked, and Draco noticed that Harry's voice was shaking. Draco immediately paused and looked at his best friend. "Why was everyone staring at me like that?"

Harry didn't _know_? Well, that explained it. "Harry, you were speaking a different language," Draco started. "The language of the snakes. The language of You Know Who and Salazar Slytherin himself."

It took all of Draco's willpower not to laugh at the look on Harry's face. "Yeah, so, you might want to tell me now if you're the Heir of Slytherin or not."

"I'm not!"

"Are you the Heir?"

"No!"

"Is Salazar Slytherin your ancestor?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Am I the funniest and most attractive student in this school?"

"Draco!" Harry exclaimed, but he was grinning and laughing.

And that's all Draco was worried about. If he could calm Harry down and make him happy for even a little amongst all the terror and confusion, then he would. So he let himself fall into laughter alongside his green-eyed best friend.

**August 28th, 1994**

Harry had tears in his eyes, but only because he was laughing so hard.

"Oh, yeah, this is real _rich_ , Harry! Really spectacularly funny!" Draco seethed, storming over to the mirror only to have his reflection show him in a girl's clothing and shoes. Harry let out another howl of laughter, leaning on the counter for support.

"Those Weasley twins are _brilliant_!" Harry breathed through his laughter. "They set me up with this, you know. All you had to do was put on the sweatshirt and it would turn into girl clothes. I've had it for a while but, _Merlin_ , it was worth the wait."

Draco turned to glare daggers at Harry. Lucius Malfoy left their tent for _one second_ , and _this_ is what happens. The Quidditch World Cup was about to begin and _this_ is what Harry and Draco were doing.

"You're dead, Potter," Draco said lowly.

Harry smirked and raised his eyebrows, pushing off the counter. "Dead, am I? Is that right?"

Draco smirked, too. "Yeah. That's right."

A second later he was lunging at Harry, knocking him to the ground, and landing on top of him. The tent was still as Draco hovered over Harry in a push-up position, both boys suddenly aware of how quick their hearts were hammering. They both were silent, breathless, and blushing. That is, until Harry giggled.

"Did you just _giggle_?" Draco raised a brow.

Harry laughed. "Yeah."

Draco fought a grin as hard as he could, but it took over, making him collapse onto Harry, his head on Harry's chest as the both of them began laughing more than they had so far. By the time the tent flap opened, they had sat up and were leaning on each other, rubbing their aching ribs.

Three ginger heads poked into the tent, and harry stood quickly. "It worked, did it?" One of the Weasley twins asked.

"'Course it worked, Freddie! Look at Malfoy!" The other exclaimed.

"Bloody _hell_ , I wish I had a camera!" The third- Ron Weasley- laughed. He grinned at Harry, who grinned back.

A pang of what suspiciously felt like jealousy ran through Draco as he scowled at the red-haired boys.

"Thanks again, guys, you two are geniuses," Harry walked over and high-fived the twins. He then fist pumped Ron Weasley, who was still smirking at Draco, who was sitting on the floor in his girl clothes, feeling awful inside.

**December 6th, 1994**

Since when had Draco cared who Harry was friends with? Harry had hung out alone with Pansy, Theo, Blaise, and even Crabbe and Goyle thousands of times before. But the second he tells Draco he's leaving to study with Hermione in the library or play Quidditch with Ron on the pitch, Draco's livid.

Like, _livid_. As in scowling and heating up and insulting and, well, yeah. 

So, here Harry is, sitting at the window, glaring at the stormy sky with Draco sitting across from him, glaring at Harry. Harry finally turns. "What's your issue?'

"I don't have an issue," Draco replies instantly.

"Okay, so you won't mind if I go meet up with Ron and Hermione in the library, then?" Harry arched a brow.

At once, Draco slammed his hands on the table and stood up, exclaiming, "Of course I mind!" All the other students in the Slytherin common room looked at the pair, which Harry noticed. He grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him to their dorm, closing the door behind them.

"Why? Why do you mind so much?" Harry glared at Draco, who scowled.

"Because you're _my_ best friend!" He yelled, then his eyes widened as though he didn't mean to say that out loud.

Harry smirked as he started to understand. "Oh, so this is about you being jealous that I'm close with Ron, is it?"

Draco winced at Ron's name. "No. No, definitely not."

Ignoring Draco's protests, Harry grinned and walked closer until he had tackled a struggling Draco into his arms, holding the boy close in a hug. Draco sighed and gave in, wrapping his arms around Harry and hugging him back. "You're my number one, you needy prat. You got that?" Harry muttered into Draco's shoulder.

He felt Draco nod, and also noticed the mosh pit that used to be his stomach. He knew he had to pull away before he did something stupid, so pull away is what he did. "Who're you taking to the Yule Ball?" He asked, quickly changing the subject.

Draco sighed and fell back onto his bed, staring up at the top of his four-poster. "Dunno. You?"

"I'm flattered," Harry joked, and watched Draco look at him in confusion before understanding the joke. He didn't even bother with a rebuttal, he just rolled his eyes and dropped his head again. "I'll probably go without a date."

Frowning, Draco sat up and looked at Harry. "You- you need a date, Harry. You're a Triwizard champion, and the champions always dance with their partners to start off the night." 

Harry's head snapped to Draco in alarm. "What?! _Dance_? I don't know how to do that!"

"You don't know how to dance?" Draco blinked. Harry shook his head. "Well, then, maybe we should just go together. So- so you don't make a full of yourself. And, you know, like- as two friends. But if you don't want to, or, like, if you want to go with someone else-"

"I'm going with you," Harry cut him off, and Draco opened his mouth to protest. "Nope, I've already decided. You're my best friend. There isn't anyone else I'd rather go with. Now. Teach me how to dance, you wanker."

**May 27th, 1996**

Draco ran his thumb over Harry's knuckles for what felt like the thousandth time. They had just escaped the Department of Mysteries, and Harry, overcome with grief from Sirius and exhaustion from fighting and anger at Voldemort, had passed out and has yet to wake up.

"Malfoy," Granger tried. Over the past year he had made peace (or as peaceful as a Malfoy can get with a muggle born and a blood traitor) with Granger and Weasley for Harry's sake. "Malfoy, you haven't slept since before the fight, you should really get some rest. Madam Pomfrey is looking after Harry."

"No," Draco's voice came out hoarse. "I'm not leaving until he wakes up." 

Granger sighed, knowing she wouldn't get him to move. So, she squeezed his shoulder supportively, then left the hospital wing to head for her dorm. Draco watched Harry's chest go up and down, the only sign that he was still alive.

Letting his head drop, a few tears fell from Draco's eyes and onto the hand that he was holding Harry's with. "Wake up," he whispered. "Please. I need you."

Draco had always gotten Harry. Harry had always chosen him. From the handshake in first year to the Yule Ball to even just partners in class, Harry had always chosen Draco. And Draco wouldn't even glance at anyone that wasn't Harry.

He'd devoted everything to this boy. And, sure, he got to laugh with him and high five him and be with him, but he couldn't be with him how he'd like to. 

Right before exhaustion took over and pulled Draco to sleep, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead.

He couldn't be with him how he'd like to.

Yes, he for to laugh and talk and hug and high five and smile and be with Harry.

But that would never be enough.


End file.
